


Something of the Deep

by Merfilly



Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: Creature Fic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 21:09:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15916299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: Odd moons, poor catches, and... something





	Something of the Deep

**Author's Note:**

  * For [realpestilence](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realpestilence/gifts).



The dusk run had been distressingly light, and the winds were whipping up in random puffs that made the sails slack or full by its own whims. Alemi had the storm anchors dropped, just in case, and opted not to have them run back in to shore. He didn't want to have to work his men that hard on rigging to make use of the capricious wind.

Maybe a dawn run would see their haul improve. He didn't know just why the dusk run had been so terrible; he could have sworn he'd spotted shipfish fins out this way when he called the course. He sighed, shaking his head, and made his way to the ship's rail, careful of his foot steps under the odd shadows with the moons in conjunction.

As he made it to the railing, he thought he saw a shadow move in the water, but the wind might have stirred that small white cap, and the moons were not making it easy to see. He looked out over the expanse of the sea, the pale light of the night flickering on the motion of the sea, as the weight of the air hung on Alemi's shoulders.

It didn't feel like a storm, nor did the wind ever die completely, just shifting around from time to time. Maybe it was the odd conjunction of the moons this night, or that the Red Star had changed the tides, as the oldest uncles said. Tonight just felt — 

— like nothing he'd ever felt, just like the behemoth rising out of the water not a dragonlength from his fishing ketch. He yelped before he could even begin to gain his composure, scrambling back from the railing. In his haste, despite knowing the hazards of a ship's deck with its ropes and tools, he stumbled.

As he did, and his crew were reacting, the entire ship yawed dangerously over to port, away from the behemoth, further undoing Alemi's balance. He, and many of the fishers, tumbled along the deck, where Alemi's leg met most painfully with a bulwark.

A terrifying set of heartbeats later, in which the rigging and masts alike gave a groan and threatened to snap, the ship rolled back toward upright, then a bit past, before bobbing back to center. Alemi braced up on his arms, trying to see off the starboard side, only to see the night around them, and no dark, menacing bulk on that side of the ship.

"The deeps, they rose," a fisherman said, as he helped his berth-mate up, terrified, but giving voice to it.

Alemi drew in his breath, his leg throbbing. "I think we'd best not mention it, though," he heard himself say, felt the looks his way. "SeaHolder Yanus might think we're making excuse for the poor catch."

"Aye," his first mate said, coming to his support and physical aid. "Naught but a sudden squall that was!"

There were mutters, but none wished to provoke the wrath of the SeaHolder. They would abide, and tell the story in secret to their children.


End file.
